Reinholt1

ROTFL!! I guess I am showing my age but no xbox back then. I had a Pong game a year or so later. But no way to get it out to the tent. Might have played Simon in the tent though. Simon came out about that year. Mostly I slept in that tent though. Great tent. I used it for a good 15 years or so before it wore out. Let me see if I have this straight...you are going to give the kid his own tent for Christmas, and then tell him he has to let the family use it?!?! That it is not his own man cave afterall? LOL I suggest you throw a new video game or two into that Christmas stocking. If it were me at that age, I dunno that I want to find out that my sole Christmas gift is in reality a family gift in disguise.

A 9 person tent with lights?? Sound more like he wants a club house for the back yard. (I asked for -- and received a 2-3 person mountain tent at that age. I was thrilled! And It was plenty big.) Did you try the brick and mortar stores right now? I would think you might score a good deal with local end of season clearance. Sears and Kmart used to do some tents. I would think Walmart might carry a few tents as well. I scored a nice tent a few years ago using my citi card reward points. Do you have a credit card with similar reward program? Do you know what he wants the use the tent for? Is he really into camping or is this more about hanging out with friends outside? I know funeral homes/cemeteries regularly buy those white, heavy duty shelters for graveside services that are held in bad weather. They come with sides. Most funeral homes/cemeteries replace them every couple of years to keep them fresh and clean looking for their funerals. And they often sell the older ones. (Which are in great shape. My church bought 2 large ones a couple of years ago for our summer VBS very reasonably.) 10x10 is about the size of a 9 person tent. Plenty of space for teens. And if they want to sleep outside, you can just place a large tarp on the ground. I know it's not quite the same as a 9 person tent with built in lights - but depending on how your son is planning on using this tent, it might be an acceptable alternative. Best wishes. I know you want to make your son happy by getting him what he wants this Christmas.

I know it is a bit early, but I wanted to make sure that I posted in time to wish Gator Pam and all our other Jewish sisters and brothers in our GD Community Shanah Tovah - שנה טובה (Good Year!) as they begin the celebration of Rosh Hashanah tomorrow night. כתיבה וחתימה טובה -- May your name(s) be written and sealed in the Book of Life for the coming year!

LOL so does everyone else. But no one seems to want to take her off my hands! I took her to her favorite mom & pop restaurant for desert after we went to a community performance of the Michigan Opera Theater last week. While she was in the bathroom I ordered both of us their "Bulldog Crunch". (Vanilla Ice cream on a funnel cake, smothered in Saunders Hot Fudge.) The waitress asks - "Do you want to share it? It is really big!" I responded that my mother has NEVER shared her ice cream - not even with her own daughter. And asked that she bring two of them. All the waitresses laughed as well as the other 2 customers who were there. (It is really a mom & pop - "everyone is family" type" restaurant.) Mom returned from the bathroom and a few minutes later the waitress brings Mom her bulldog crunch and says (loud enough for all to hear) "Here it is! Look how big it is! Don't you want to share this with your daughter??". My mother shot her the dirtiest look, shook her head "no" and immediately retorted: "I won't even share my ice cream with my dog!". Everyone in the restaurant roared with laughter at that. Leaving my poor mother startled and asking: "Why is everyone laughing?!?". On a side note. Mom ate that whole Bulldog Crunch. I ended up sending most of my funnel cake home with mom. It was all I could do to eat just the ice cream.

Just got back home after spending the day with Mom. Here is a snippet of a conversation we had today. Reinholt1: Do you remember the Secret Santa exchange that we have been doing the last few years? When you get a surprise Christmas present from someone in my online shopping group? Reinholt1sMom: Oh yes! I love that! Those people are so nice! Reinholt1: Well you are all signed up again for this year. And I signed us up for the Christmas Card exchange too, so you will get Christmas cards from all over the country again. Reinholt1sMom: Oh Good!...(pause)..will you help me shop? I need help shopping. Reinholt1: Of course! I have always helped you shop..... and wrap..... and mail. Reinholt1sMom: When is my present coming?!? Can I open it NOW?!? Hey BoPeep! I hope you pick those names soon! I don't think my mom can last until December!!! (Which means I won't last until December! Oy Vey!)

I used to start wrapping the weekend before Thanksgiving when I was in the parish. But now that I work in the hospital I wrap Thanksgiving weekend or the weekend after. I usually set up my folding table (It's about 5 feet long) and gather everything into that room and then it is just a wrapping station there for about 2 weeks. Then I just wrap as I am able. An hour here and a couple hours there. I usually watch Christmas movies/specials while I wrap. And at least one cat always has to help. We also use fabric ribbons so the ribboning goes faster. Mom used to do christmas gift wrapping when she worked at Hudson's so we always make big deal about our packages looking nice. So big ribbons are a must. We wrap the gifts and anything that is in a box (like cereal, or pasta etc.) so you never know when you open a box if you got a gift or some groceries. (Ha ha! Mom was not amused last year when I wrapped her shampoo to look like wine bottles.) But the tree looks wonderful loaded with sparkly gifts in shiney paper under all those lights. You know, I had a youth group who did Christmas wrapping as a fundraiser. They gathered at the church and folks brought in their packages and the kids wrapped. (I think it was no ribbons or just the small stick on kind of bows.) Anyway, the kids had a lot of fun, raised some money for their service trip and folks got their packages wrapped. (This was the same church that did a Christmas Cookie exchange every year. Everyone made just one kind of cookie and then brought them to the church. You could then buy or trade for the Christmas Cookie variety your wanted.) I think that is your answer......join a church or synagogue that has managing the holidays down to a science.

Count me and mom (Reinholt1smom) both in for the gift exchange. Put mom down for the card exchange please. I'll get back to you later with list of questions BoPeep! P.S. Thanks once again for doing this!

Hey BoPeep! Never put off to tomorrow what you can do TODAY!!! ::heh heh heh!:: SOoo glad to hear you are volunteering to do it again!! Can you...ummmm...maybe.. POST TONIGHT?!?!?!

Grrr. I can't see my own pictures! I used photobucket too. Can anyone else see the pictures?? Or are you just links to the photos?? ........Never mind. Tried it a different way and got the photos to show up now.

Oi! I tried to post this last year, and then the screen hiccup'd and I lost my long post. I decided to to the post later and the Secret Santa went to archive! SSSSSOOooooooo..... I am going to make good my promise to post and finally get this done! First of all! Thank you to every one who sent Reinholt1Mom Christmas cards! She absolutely loved it. And even though she did not get one from every state, she still had a lot of fun with them. (My 88 year old mother is always looking for different state license plates when we are out driving so this is a *thing" for her. She kept the cards up for a long time and when she took them down, she put them in a small box and took them out periodically to look at them this year. Here are a few of the cards she received. A very special Thank you to Jenn_A for mom's secret Santa gifts. Mom had opened several of them before I got to her with the camera. And she began eating several of her goodies right away! She however did not open the coffee cakes until I got there and when she discovered them, she went banana's (She just loves those things.) I am not kidding...she ate the whole box in one day! Hands down her favorite! (And she is this skinny 150 pound lady too. I don't know how she can eat so much junk food and never gain weight!) Mom also received a necklace, which she has been wearing off and on all year. She wore it as recently as yesterday when I took her to hear an ensemble from the Michigan Opera Theater. (A wonderful community performance.) She commented again on how much she just loves the necklace and how sparkly it is. And finally, another very special thank you to HillBillysWIfe for her wonderful secret santa gifts to me. She sent me a wonderful self pampering, night at home with a movie box. So much fun! Complete with movie, popcorn, candy, throw blanket and footies! The only thing she forgot was a boyfriend to cuddle up with! (Oh well. Cuddling boyfriend are a bit costly......... ;D) No matter. I cuddled with one of the cats, who loved the throw blanket. (Heck, they love any blanket.) And mom saw the footies and stole them. (Oh well, you made mom happy HillBillysWife! ;D ) Fortunately I got to the Reese's before Mom saw them. OK! I am finally caught up with my last year's posts! I am ready for this year's Secret Santa! Hey BoPeep! Are you possibly considering coordinating it again?!?! ::looking hopefully at BoPeep::

Oh my Goodness! I can't even wrap my mind about this -- Kosher AND Keto?? On the high holidays ?!? OTFLMAO! What challenge! Martin Luther (I know, he is goy.) once said that when faced with difficult situations to "Sin boldy. And believe all the more boldly!" I think that applies to your situation. Do heartfelt repentance on Yom Kippur and then share in those wonderful holiday foods. (And the apples are just so wonderful this year too!! At least they are here in Michigan!)

LOL....Just keep saying that Gatorburg......I will not unwrap the gifts until Christmas....I will not unwrap the gifts until Christmas....

Congrads BethEd! Do you have a new granddaughter or grandson to spoil??? Cute dog Shaneberry21. She looks like she is the same color as her new toy!

Sending hugs and love to [[[[[illinoismom]]]]]. Hopefully you have extended family or some friends and will be able to spend some time with them over the holidays. I am sure your children will be happy to know that you are finding some additional ways to enjoys the holidays since they can't be with you. And maybe next year, when they are with you once again, you can share these additional ways with them. To Reinholt1sMom Secret Santa ...from Kentucky mom notes! ......Mom reports that she found her box outside her apartment door today. Mom said that she would "open it later" because it was lunch time. (You don't get in the way, when my mom wants her lunch!) I'll have to report later what she received. I am sure she opened it. She has no will power! LOL. Thank you Secret Santa!

Wow! It's fun to see what every one is receiving from their Secret Santas! I am glad so many are posting pictures this year! I am getting excited to see what my "not so secret" secret santa got for me! (But I am holding firm on waiting......so far!!!! ;D) I am glad we have such a great group of thoughtful shoppers! It's good to see how happy everyone is. For those who offered to send Mom Christmas cards....I am sorry for the delay in responding. I was offline a couple of days. I put her addres in a PM to you all. Thank you for your kindness. Mom is enjoying getting so many lovely cards.

Thank you both J2wice and Sgigi. Texas is well represented with 2 people participating. But it's a big state. I would not turn down a third! Indiana, however is not represented. (If you don't mind Sgigi). Have faith Bopeep! We did not let you down last year. We won't this year. I am hoping to get mine and mom's mailed off tomorrow - while mom is getting her hair done. (Assuming I can sneak away).

You are welcome all. Please contact me if you are a "winner" and need some help collecting your (small) winnings. I'll be happy to do that for you. (If you get a "big one" though, you are on your own! ;D )

Aww Gee. How kind. Thank you Kash and Ilikefree! My Mom was the "MI" person on the list. And we don't have Ohio represented, so acutally you both will add 2 more states for Mom to comment about. I appreciate your thoughtfulness! I'll PM her address to you both.

Hanukkah Sameach Gator Pam! I wish you were on the Secret Santa echange -- it would be fun to buy 8 gifts for under your Hanukkah Bush! But I am very glad that you are apart of our group here and always invite us to celebrate with you! Wishing you and your family a joyful Holiday! Wish I could come sing with you (so many wonderful Hanukkah hymns!) and celebrate the "Nes Gadol".

Found a box on my doorstep today. I beleive I recognise the address so it must be my Secret Santa! Thank you! Thank you! (I do believe I know who you are Secret Santa! This will be exciting!) I will be waiting to open mine on Christmas. Reveived my last item today for my secret santa box. So I will be wrapping mom and mine gifts this week and hope to have them in the mail by Saturday. Our Christmas cards all went out over the weekend. On the Christmas card note: My mom (Reinholt1sMom) is having so much fun with all the Christmas cards. She is saying things like: "What beautiful cards!, Such a nice bunch of people!, Oh this card is more beautiful then the last!" She is hanging them all up around a door frame as part of her holiday decorations. She takes note at where they all come from and is thrilled with all the different states they are coming from. (I think she wants 50 cards next year - one from each state!! BoPeep! You had better start recruiting for that now! ) At 88 (and still living independently) Mom hardly gets any cards anymore. Most everyone she used to exchange cards with has passed or they are just not able to send cards any longer. I cannot express how much fun receiving these cards has been for my mom. Having Christmas cards out as part of the holiday decorations goes back decades for my mom. Having a few cards show up addressed to her just brightens her holidays. I really do appreciate our little group here! Thank you to all!

oooh cards are arriving! Mom is real happy and is hanging them on her door frame where she can see them. I think I missed it, but when is the deadline to ship things out? I am waiting for an item to arrive by mail. I will have my packaged shipped before Christmas for sure, but I know the deadline is earlier. ;D

LOL. That poor man......he's probably quaking in his boots that I will get his name a 3rd year in a row! LOL I'd send this gift too...with a sneaky modification just for him - if I draw JesusLuvU again. Actually I am wondering how his "manly" nail polish that I sent last year worked out for him. You never posted a pretty picture with that stuff on JesusLuvU. ::ducking quickly::

OK...I could not resist! I have begun my shopping for my secret santa gift. I found a very cool gift (on sale) and I bought it. Hey Bopeep! When are you gonna give me my name??? I need to know who I am already buying for!!!

Answer: What child is this. (Although I have always sung it "so bring him incense, gold and myrrh") Quote: "The chiefs from far before him knelt With gifts of fox and beaver pelt"

LOL - Answer - A Muppet's Christmas Carol Quote: "You tear apart the babies rattle, and you see what makes the noise inside. But there is a veil covering the unseen world, which not the strongest man could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love and romance, can push aside that curtain and view the beauty and the glory beyond. Is it all real? Virginia, in all this world, there is nothing else real in the body...Santa Claus, thank god he lives. And lives forever, a thousand years from now, ten times ten thousand years from now, and he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood."